Visiting Information

As of September 1, 2025, Stanford Memorial Church is available for Weddings or Renewal ceremonies for all, including members of the Stanford community and the general public.

About Weddings at Memorial Church
Stanford
Office for Religious & Spiritual Life
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Contemplative Programs

Program Description

Contemplative Programs are offered Monday-Thursdays, 5:30pm during weeks 2-10 of Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters. Join us for weekly opportunities to engage with others in the community for meditation and yoga.

Open to Stanford affiliates. Sessions are free and no pre-registration is required. Bring your own yoga mat for yoga sessions.

Candlelight Yoga in Memorial Church

Mondays, 5:30 pm: Memorial Church

Begin the week with clarity and ease in a space dedicated to quiet reflection and contemplation. This all-levels class includes gentle stretching, mindful breathwork, and a guided yoga nidra relaxation for stress relief and nervous system reset. Open to students, faculty, and staff—free of charge. Bring a yoga mat and a friend, and leave feeling balanced and ready for the week ahead.

Sara Elizabeth Ivanhoe is a Doctoral Candidate in Yoga Philosophy at the Graduate Theological Union, writing her dissertation on yoga and meditation for sleep. With nearly 30 years of teaching experience, she holds a Master’s in Yoga Studies from Loyola Marymount University and completed three 500-hour Yoga Teacher Trainings. She is the Founding Director of YogaUSC, Co-Director of USC Yoga Teacher Training, and a recipient of USC's Sustainability Across Curriculum grant. In 2024, she began teaching at Stanford, focusing on movement, meditation, and sleep.

Relax + Center with Yoga

Tuesdays, 5:30 pm: CIRCLE Sanctuary (Old Union, 3rd floor)

Relax + Center with Yoga Class with Diane Saenz. A traditional, easy-to-learn system of Hatha Yoga which encourages proper breathing and emphasizes relaxation.  A typical class includes breathing exercises, warm-ups, postures and deep relaxation.  The focus is on a systematic and balanced sequence that builds a strong foundation of basic asanas from which variations may be added to further deepen the practice.  This practice is both for beginners and seasoned practitioners alike to help calm the mind and reduce tension.

Diane Saenz (she/her) is a yoga instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the use of yoga and meditation to improve mental and physical well-being.  Following a classical approach, she leans on asana and pranayama as tools to invite participants into the present moment.  Diane completed her 500 hour level training with the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Organization in South India, followed by specializations in adaptive yoga and yoga for kids.  She has taught adult and youth audiences around the globe.  

Yogifest: Yoga for Everyone

Tuesdays, 9:00 pm: CIRCLE Sanctuary (Old Union, 3rd floor)

Yogifest: Yoga for Everyone is led by Akash Shah '26.

Student-Led Yoga Wednesdays

Wednesdays, 5:30 pm: CIRCLE Sanctuary (Old Union, 3rd floor)

Téa teaches all-levels vinyasa classes designed as a reset. Progressive sequences rise and fall in intensity to help regulate the nervous system, restore energy, and uplift the spirit, while intentional breathwork keeps you balanced and grounded throughout. You’ll leave feeling centered, refreshed, and steady.

Téa Smith is a Stanford sophomore studying psychology and a certified instructor trainedd in breath-led, alignment-focused vinyasa. She began teaching at 13 after completing her 200-hour training at Prana Yoga in San Diego and has taught on and off ever since. Téa holds a deep respect for the roots and values of yoga while keeping things light—she doesn’t take herself too seriously and aims for a bubbly, comfortable room. Her classes incorporate body awareness to deepen presence and connection to breath. She helps students quiet the mental chatter, feel grounded, and hopefully leave a little steadier and lighter than they arrived.

Guided Meditation

Thursdays, 5:30 pm: CIRCLE Sanctuary (Old Union, 3rd floor)

Evening Guided Meditation is designed to offer basic meditation skills, to encourage regular meditation practice, to help deepen self-reflection, and to offer instructions on how meditation can be useful during stressful and uncertain times.  All sessions are led by Andy Acker.

Contemplative Program schedule summary for Fall Quarter. Text is repeated on the webpage.

Fall 2025 Contemplative Program Schedule

Mondays: Candlelight Yoga
5:30 PM @ Memorial Church
September 29 - December 1

Tuesdays: Relax and Center with Yoga
5:30 PM @ CIRCLE Sanctuary
September 30 - December 2

Tuesdays: Yogifest
9:00 PM @ CIRCLE Sanctuary
September 30 - December 2

Wednesdays: Student-led Yoga
5:30 PM @ CIRCLE Sanctuary
October 1 - December 3
*Class on October 1 will be held in Memorial Church

Thursdays: Guided Meditation
5:30 PM @ CIRCLE Sanctuary
October 2 - December 4
*Class on October 2 will be held in Memorial Church

There will be no sessions from November 24 - 27 because of the holiday.